Mengele's Twins

Although Dr. Mengele performed terrifying medical experiments on thousands of people, his favorite "patients" were twins. Dr. Mengele wanted to create a dominant race of blond haired, blue eyed Aryans. To do this he needed to discover the secrets of heredity. And what better way to do this than to experiment on heredity's perfect genetic specimens, identical twins? Mengele believed that twins held the secret.

Mengele stood at the gates of Auschwitz and decided the fate of the incoming prisoners. To the labor camp, or to the gas chambers. Always keeping his eye out for twins, he got excited when he saw a couple or one of the S.S. officers brought them to the doctor.

Mengele's twins would be taken to the showers, allowed to keep their hair and clothes, then tattooed. They were then taken to a barrack reserved especially for Mengele's twins. They then filled out a form giving basic information and later questioned by Mengele. Every day, the twins were required to attend roll call and eat a small breakfast. Then they would be inspected by the Doctor. Twins were treated better than ordinary prisoners, aside from the life threatening experiments. Mengele would give them candy, have conversations with them, and even play with them on occasions. Many referred to the doctor as "Uncle Mengele." The twins did not have to work, were not punished, and sometimes were permitted to go outside and play. The twins had decent lives...until Mengele's trucks fetched them and brought them to the laboratory.

Pretty much every twin had to have their blood drawn. Large quantities of blood were drained from their arms, fingers, and necks (which was quite painful). Sets of twins were undressed and laid beside each other to be measured and compared. Blood transfusions were made between the siblings. Drops of chemicals would sometimes be put in their eyes. This resulted in pain, often infection, and sometimes blindness. Surgeries such as organ removal, castration, and amputations were performed on the twins without anesthesia. After Mengele had no more use for a set of twins, they were injected with a fatal substance. Interesting organs were shipped out to and preserved at the
Institute in Berlin-Dahlem for more detailed examination.

Over 3,000 twins suffered at the hands of Dr. Josef Mengele. They were tortured through hideous medical experiments. Most died. Yet the children called him "Uncle Mengele." How can a man laugh with children, play with children, give children gifts, then turn around and perform painful, inhumane, possibly fatal experiments on them? How can "The Angel of Death," a man full of such evil, love and hurt innocent children at the same time.